


Love Me Dangerously

by LadyRamora



Series: Prompt Fics [7]
Category: FFXIV, Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fordola is stressed, Other, WoL is not enthused, Zenos makes a decision
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 14:10:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16874337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRamora/pseuds/LadyRamora
Summary: Prompt: "Zenos hears that a person fights hardest when they love another, or similar, and decides to try to love the WoL in an attempt to become even stronger."





	1. Chapter 1

Zenos lounges on his throne, face cupped in his hand as he strokes at his lips in a thoughtful manner.

Love, he thinks with eyes narrowed. Staring off in the distance as he thought but well aware of the discomfort of Fordola, who knelt before the stairs leading up to his kingly seat.

“Fordola,” He finally addresses her after an appropriate time of making her suffer in silence.

She jerks, “Yes, my lord?”

His eyes slide to look at her, still stroking at his face in thought. “What are your thoughts on love?”

Fordola frowns with confusion. “Love, my lord?”

Zenos hums. “Yes. Love. Do you think it to be true, the idea that those in love are all the stronger for it?”

Fordola looks up, serious as always. “Yes, my lord. I do believe that.”

Zenos seems lost in thought. Staring at Fordola but not truly seeing her.

Fordola clears her throat, bowing her head. “Forgive me, my lord, but may I ask why the sudden interest?”

Zenos blinks back into focus. A slow, dangerous smile curling at his lips.

“I’ve made mine choice. I’ve decided to love the Warrior of Light.”

Fordola’s face spasms minutely. Hiding the internal screech of her brain as she tries and fails to understand this sudden undertaking.

Zenos is smiling to himself. Clearly pleased with his decision. He waves her away, chuckling lowly. “Go. I have no need of you.”

Fordola rises to her feet, turning tail and walking away on auto pilot. Struggling still to understand the inner workings of Zenos’s mind.

What? Just…. what??

\- - -

The Warrior of Light does not take the news half as well.

“I intend to love you,” Zenos tells them as their weapons clash.

The Warrior of Light blanches, shoving him back and stumbling away. “What? No! That’s… You can’t! You had better not!”

Zenos smiles, prowling around them like a predator ready to pounce. “Oh, yess. I believe you’ll find that I can and I will. I will love you and I will grow all the more powerful for it!”

The Warrior of Light makes an unpleasant face. “You can’t love me! You’re,” they gesture to all of him, “you know. Evil!”

Zenos hopes his expression conveys his deep disapproval. “And? Do you mean to say that I am incapable of love?”

The Warrior of Light looks at him with wide, incredulous eyes. “Yes!”

Zenos scowls. “How very narrow minded of you. I expected better from you.”

The Warrior of Light makes a sound like they couldn’t possibly believe him. “Why me? Pick someone else, anyone else!”

Zenos tosses his head. Annoyed at the turn their conversation was taking. “And who else could I possibly love?”

The Warrior of Light groans, rubbing at their face with brisk irritation. “I don’t know… Fordola?”

Zenos scoffs. Dismissing the notion with a disgusted curl of his lips. “Fordola is far from being mine equal,” he shakes his head. “No. It can only be you. Only you have proven to be worth mine time and efforts.”

The Warrior of Light backs away, pointing a shaky finger with horror writ across their face, “No! You.. stay away from me! I’ll hear no more of this nonsense! The next time you see me, I’ll have come to dethrone you!”

Zenos smiles, eyes half lidded as he groans lasciviously. “Mmm. Such promises you make. Will you come to punish me? How very… exciting!”

The Warrior of Light lets loose a sound of disgust. Stepping away from his reach until they could turn their back to safely make their escape.

Zenos chuckles. Watching them go as he calls after them, “Just you wait, my beast! You cannot escape my love!”


	2. Chapter 2

To bring Zenos Yae Galvus ill tidings was a death sentence.

But to bring news that his own attempts were met with disdain? Terrifying.

Fordola rolls her eyes at the crowd of cowering imperials.

“What news have you brought?”

One of the braver imperials steps forward, a square of thick parchment in hand that he extends to her with trembling fingers. “The Warrior of Light has sent a return response.”

Fordola plucks it from his fearful hands, raising it to her eyes and scowling heavily at what she finds.

“Go,” She barks. The crowd scatters like many scared mice in the presence of a hungry cat.

Fordola rubs at her face, sighing with dread. That leaves it to her to deliver the message.

\- - -

Zenos is frowning already when she enters. Daunting to be sure, but Fordola has already made her presence known. To leave now with no explanation would be a show a weakness.

There was nothing Zenos hated more than weakness.

She walks to the steps leading up to his throne, kneeling with her head lowered as she waits for him to acknowledge her presence.

“Speak,” Zenos says to her after a prolonged moment of tense silence.

“My lord,” Fordola starts, tilting her chin up but avoiding his eyes. This is hard enough without looking into his eyes. “I bring news of the Warrior of Light.”

Zenos leans forward. “Oh? Tell me then, what have you for me?”

Fordola curls her fingers over the bit of parchment tucked in her palm. Perhaps she should lie. But she hesitates over long and Zenos notices

“It is not only news you bring. You have something. Something from the beast I mean to court.” His interest is clear, but there is also that undercurrent of threat if she does not show him - and with haste.

Fordola swallows her uncertainties and forces herself to ascend the steps to his throne. To extend the square piece of parchment to him.

Zenos accepts it, the sharp points of his gloved fingers scraping over her skin. Fordola turns to descend again, to leave before Zenos can read it and surely take his feelings of irritation out on the bearer of bad news.

“I did not dismiss you, Fordola.” Zenos says. Few simple words, but enough to turn her blood to ice.

“No, my lord. Forgive me.”

Zenos hums.

Fordola turns, expecting him to stare her down with those bloodthirsty eyes. To draw his blade and cut her down for daring to leave without his say.

But Zenos is not looking at her. He is staring instead at the parchment.

He is… not angry?

No, instead he is smiling. His eyes flickering over the parchment as he reads. His head tilting back in a low, throaty laugh at what is written there.

Fordola admits his reaction is rather confusing. Even more so that she knows what it says.

‘Zenos,’ the parchment reads in suspiciously red ink. Insulting, to address him so simply without his titles. Forward - by using only his first name.

'Do you think you can fool me? That your 'presents’ will win me over? You’re going to lose. I’ll make certain of it by cutting down every last one of your batallion. And then I will come for you. P.s. : Eat shite. ’

And then there’s a much too detailed drawing of a butt.

Fordola did not know what her lord saw in the Warrior of Light. Strength mayhap. Manners? Certainly not.

She watches as he brings it to his face, hears the sound of his breath as he breathes in.

“Written in blood,” Zenos says, chucking to himself. “A flair for the dramatic, have we?”

Fordola has never seen him smile in this way. Overly wide, showing his teeth. It was terrifying.

Enemy or no, Fordola does not envy the Warrior of Light. To garner his attentions was something to be feared. Every last one before them had been cut down when his interest had waned.

Mayhap this time would be different, but Fordola suffered no such illusions.

Zenos tucks the parchment into his armour, that terrifying smile still stretched across his face. He laughs and shakes his head.

“Fordola.”

Fordola snaps to attention. “My lord?”

Zenos strokes his face. Still wearing that terrifying smile. “Prepare mine next offering.”

Fordola groans internally. He would continue? The Warrior of Light was not at all responsive! 'Eat shite’ was not a romantic overture.

Still. That smile. Ugh. 

Fordola had escaped death once by chance this day, she was not about to try her luck a second time.

“…As you command, my lord.”


End file.
